At the 2025 Gold Cup, the USMNT faces its toughest test yet against Costa Rica at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis in a quarterfinal clash.
Usmnt Vs Costa Rica National Football Team Lineups have attracted significant attention as coach Mauricio Pochettino relies on a youthful squad with an average of 21 international caps among the starters.
Their energetic core has played a crucial role throughout the tournament and will be expected to deliver another strong performance in this high-stakes knockout encounter.
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| GK | Matt Freese |
| DF | Chris Richards |
| DF | Tim Ream (Captain) |
| DF | Alex Freeman |
| DF | Max Arfsten |
| MF | Tyler Adams |
| MF | Sebastian Berhalter |
| MF | Luca de la Torre |
| MF | Diego Luna |
| MF | Malik Tillman |
| FW | Patrick Agyemang |
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| GK | Keylor Navas |
| DF | Alexis Gamboa |
| DF | Juan Pablo Vargas |
| DF | Francisco Calvo |
| DF | Carlos Mora |
| MF | Brandon Aguilera |
| MF | Alejandro Bran |
| MF | Orlando Galo |
| FW | Alonso Martínez |
| FW | Josimar Alcócer |
| FW | Kenneth Vargas |
| Date | Competition | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Jun 2025 | CONCACAF Gold Cup (QF) | Minneapolis, USA | USA 2-2 Costa Rica (USA won 4-3 on penalties) |
| 22 Jan 2025 | International Friendly | Orlando, USA | USA 3-0 Costa Rica |
| 30 Mar 2022 | FIFA World Cup Qualifier | San José | Costa Rica 2-0 USA |
| 13 Oct 2021 | FIFA World Cup Qualifier | Columbus, USA | USA 2-1 Costa Rica |
| 09 Jun 2021 | International Friendly | Sandy, USA | USA 4-0 Costa Rica |
| 01 Feb 2020 | International Friendly | Carson, USA | USA 1-0 Costa Rica |
| 02 Feb 2019 | International Friendly | San Jose, USA | USA 2-0 Costa Rica |
| 22 Jul 2017 | CONCACAF Gold Cup | Arlington, USA | USA 2-0 Costa Rica |
| 07 Jun 2017 | FIFA World Cup Qualifier | San José | Costa Rica 4-0 USA |
| 22 Nov 2016 | FIFA World Cup Qualifier | Columbus, USA | USA 4-0 Costa Rica |
Goalkeeper
Goalkeepers are vital members of any team’s defense. Acting as both eyes and ears for their teammates, goalkeepers should be able to communicate both verbal and physical commands to one another; especially important since goalkeepers are the only players on the field who can physically see how their teammates move and determine whether a tackle or pass may go out-of-bounds.
Goalkeepers possess an impressive power to shape their penalty area environment, and should embrace this role with gusto. Like gladiators warriors preparing for battle, goalkeepers need a ritualistic routine and set of traditions which help them focus on their task at hand and remain calm during a fierce encounter with rival goalies.
The United Soccer Men’s National Team have been formidable so far in this year’s Gold Cup tournament. But their quarterfinal matchup against Costa Rica, who finished second in their group behind Mexico, should provide more clarity of where they stand as hosts of next year’s World Cup. It promises to be an intense contest!
After an inconsistant start, the United Soccer Men’s National Team have found their stride again. A great sequence between Patrick Agyemang and Malik Tillman broke open Costa Rica’s defense while Tillman played a low ball into the box that is currently being reviewed for possible foul on Max Arfsten.
Costa Rica remains a threat, however, and extended their lead further in the 42nd minute when Francisco Calvo fired a low penalty kick past Matt Freese. Freese got down quickly to block it but instead let it roll into the bottom corner.
In the 62nd minute, Alonso Martinez of NYCFC’s Alonso Martinez finally gave them hope they needed, beating Costa Rican Juan Pablo Vargas for a loose ball and scoring past an oncoming goalkeeper to equalize for USMNT in Minnesota.
Alonso became the first USMNT player ever to score goals at three consecutive tournament games at once – sure to bring joyous cheers from home crowd supporters in Minnesota!
Defenders
Defense will likely be one of the USMNT starting XI’s primary functions this fall, with Mauricio Pochettino looking for players like Orlando City’s Jeremy Mathis and Tampa Bay’s Caleb Sturgis to provide some defensive stability. While these veterans have proven their value this summer, an upstart group of young defenders has also shown great promise this summer.
21-year-old Alex Freeman has become the youngest player ever to make four consecutive Gold Cup starts for United States at any tournament since Antonee Robinson sustained an injury and has earned Pochettino’s trust.
Freeman could become only the fourth youngest U.S. field player ever to participate in a knockout round match after surpassing Marcelo Balboa and Landon Donovan who set this mark before him.
Max Arfsten has made an impressionful national team debut over a year ago and his playing time has increased ever since, suggesting he could start against Costa Rica at 20 years old.
Tim Ream is another experienced veteran in the backline who’s only a few caps short of becoming the nation’s all-time leading defender. Ream’s 37 years will provide guidance for an inexperienced crew in front of him while his experience will come in handy in this tough quarterfinal battle.
On the right side of midfield, USA have plenty of depth on the right side, with both Luca de la Torre and Tyler Adams competing for starting roles. Both were instrumental in helping the USA navigate through Group D matches so far, and may prove key when facing off against Costa Rica’s strong defence.
On top of that, the USMNT boasts Major League Soccer’s leading goal scorer Patrick Agyemang who scored against Haiti to help ensure an undefeated group stage campaign for USA.
Pulisic will likely start for USA as their striker despite yellow card accumulation that would see him suspended from semifinal participation if another caution occurs – however he remains an aerial threat and adept at creating chances in the final third for teammates.
Midfielders
The U.S. Men’s National Team will aim to advance further in the Gold Cup knockout stage against Costa Rica at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
After winning its opening three matches of Group C competition – defeating Trinidad & Tobago, Saudi Arabia, and Haiti -, and earning first seed status, they have proven they can compete with some of the finest teams around.
First half, USA struggled to create chances against Costa Rica’s strong defense, but after halftime made some adjustments that enabled them to control possession and move into advantageous offensive positions. Looking ahead, Group D holds eight matches over four rounds.
This marks the first time since 2022 when Los Ticos beat them 2-0 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, that the USA have faced Costa Rica in a Gold Cup quarterfinal matchup.
Chris Richards and Kenneth Vargas were booked in late February’s friendly at Rio Tinto Stadium in Salt Lake City where the USA prevailed 4-2.
Both teams are making changes for this matchup, with USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino opting to swap left back Max Arfsten out with John Tolkin as part of a straight swap and to introduce New York City FC midfielder Jack McGlynn in place of Diego Luna.
Tim Ream and Walker Zimmerman will team up again as central defenders, joining Landon Donovan and Marcelo Balboa as veterans with over 21 caps each on average, having first played together as teammates against Netherlands at 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar Round of 16 Match in Qatar Round of 16. Ream will captain his side for 19th time, becoming joint longest serving members currently within USMNT squad.
Costa Rica will field goalkeeper Keylor Navas as their starting goalkeeper, who has conceded just one goal through four appearances so far in this tournament.
They will also miss Michael Bradley due to sore quadriceps while Jonathan Mendez was out due to hip injuries and are both currently missing from their lineups.
Forwards
The USMNT have not been fully tested by group play at the 2025 Gold Cup so far; however, this quarterfinal matchup against Costa Rica represents their greatest test yet. Los Ticos finished second in their group and so will require their best effort from USMNT if they hope to reach semifinals.
This match marks a rematch of last year’s championship match, won by the USMNT in overtime. Now seeking back-to-back titles after more than a decade, this team could be its strongest yet; unfortunately forward Haji Wright and midfielder Tyler Adams both are nursing injuries that might limit their participation.
At just under an hour remaining in the game, the USMNT have taken an early advantage against Costa Rica. A combination of Patrick Agyemang and Malik Tillman enabled former PSV striker Malik Tillman to deliver a low ball across the box that somehow managed to miss everyone in front of it, before Malik shot low into Alexis Gamboa before deflecting heavily and floating out beyond Keylor Navas’ reach.
Max Arfsten tackled Brandon Aguilera in the 23rd minute and gave the USMNT another penalty kick opportunity, this time taken by Damion Downs who successfully sent goalkeeper Tim Howard flying.
Downs’ penalty was excellently taken, and the USMNT are now up 2-0 with less than 10 minutes remaining in their match at U.S. Bank Stadium – to cheers of encouragement from an energetic crowd and the start of anthems from both teams.
The Usmnt Vs Costa Rica National Football Team Lineups showcased one of the youngest U.S. squads in recent Gold Cup history, with seven starters aged 25 or under, including Max Arfsten, Sebastian Berhalter, and Diego Luna.
Their energy was complemented by the experience of veteran captain Tim Ream, who led the team for the 19th time in his international career, placing him joint 11th on the USMNT’s all-time captains list. This balanced combination of youth and leadership played a key role in the team’s impressive performance during the 2025 Gold Cup quarterfinal.
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